Anyone can cheer me up about my job interview blunder?

[Hidingnow]

Name changed because I'm dying of embarrassment. I just had an incredibly low moment at a job interview and I'm ready to hide myself away for the rest of the day. They asked me a fairly simple knowledge question and my brain just blanked. I suddenly felt like I was in school being grilled by my maths teacher (it was a very exam-y interview). I just blabbered on and then just ended the misery by saying "Sorry, that was a really poor answer." We moved on, the rest was good, but I don't think it can recover this low point. I must have looked like I had lied about all of my experience to not be able to answer this one simple thing. So that's that. Only a dream job, who cares.

Please share your interview blunders and/or moments when your brain just went blank to make me feel better.

OP, the chances are it's not as bad as you remember if the rest of the interview went well. Holding thumbs.

I was once being interviewed by the Very Big Cheese. Final interview having already met something like 8 people. Interview was after the end of the day so Very Big Cheese was taking me down in the elevator after as there were no reception staff... As I got out the elevator I realised I had walked out holding the water glass from the conference room. MORTIFIED.

I don’t have any stories to share but I’d have thought that acknowledging it wasn’t the best answer would help as they’ll appreciate it’s down to nerves rather than a lack of knowledge?

I got 1/2 way through an answer had to ask them what was the question again and said I no idea where I was going with the reply

You owned it - it may not be as bad as you think

I had an interview,for a senior position, quite a few years ago .......the interviewer asked a question about the PACE process (interviewing using a recording device in very ,very simple terms) A totally relevant question for the role I had applied for.

I misheard and prattled on about the Irish PEACE process for about 10 -15 minutes.
The interview panel looked very confused but let me run with it. The whole time I was thinking we are supposed to be a politically neutral organisation what a strange question 🤷‍♀️
It was only on my way out of the building I realised my error .....I still have cold sweats thinking about 20 years later 🤦‍♀️

It happens, and it's a bit like a memory of a school exam. There will be questions where they're a bit of a write-off, but not completely '0 points', but balanced out with some much better answers, so take heart.

Anecdote from me: I had an interview a week or 2 ago. The 'what motivated you to apply question' (Q.2) - I gave an enthusiastic answer about being able to work on site, which is where you can more easily pick up on the current issues, etc, looking forward to more connection after several years of full wfh, etc.

About 30 minutes and 5 more questions later - panel signed off the interview with "This is envisaged as a role that works fully from home." Reader, I most definitely didn't get it.

@IdLikeToBeAFraser Ha I love that. What did you do with the glass? Walk out with it?

@kayakerak @NigelHarmansNewWife Thank you. I'm sure it's always better than we have in our own minds.

@rwalker Yes that's similar to how I went. And then I asked for them to repeat but at that point all was lost basically. I couldn't have remembered my name if they'd asked!

I often interview teachers.
Nerves can do all sorts to very competent people in an interview situation. We make allowances!!

I was was on a panel where we were looking for a legal secretary to support our conveyancing team. One interviewee was asked why he had applied for the job and he replied explaining he was looking for a 'nice little pre-retirement job that wasn't in any way stressful or challenging'.

He did not get the job.

@Hidingnow I think we put it on the reception desk. So embarassed.

Didn't even get the job because the next week, the Very Big Cheese got fired!!!!

Oh god I had this a few month ago. Interviewed for a job largely about compliance processes. First question, give an example of how I’ve managed a compliance process. I went totally blank, I’ve worked in compliance for years but at that moment I couldn’t even remember what it was. I’ve never had that before. I managed to get a vaguely sensible but weak answer out. As soon as I walked out of the room I could think of two strong examples. Sadly I did not get that job!

I have posted about this before but at the beginning of one interview an empty gin bottle fell out of my coat pocket and skittered across the floor. I panicked and clumsily grabbed it but I'm sure the interviewer saw.

I can explain (though I didn't at the time)!

It was December and in those days Great Western trains would send season ticket holders a Merry Christmas voucher to get a free drink from the buffet car. The night before I'd been commuting home and got myself a gin and tonic. Being a responsible citizen I put the miniature bottle in my pocket to recycle when I got home ... but forgot all about it.

I did not get the job (law firm). Aaaahhh my cheeks are burning just thinking about it though it was about 20 years ago!

I was being signed off for some competencies at work. I was asked about the structure of the heart and all I could say was 'oddly, it's not heart-shaped'

I really shouldn’t be laughing so much but that’s hilarious. And on the positive side you had political and historical knowledge.

Friend of mine cried during her interview. She's been in the job for 2 years now, so it obviously didn't go against her.

I hope you get some good news from yours.

Oh thank you everyone for contributing!!! I'm feeling a lot better knowing that we're all just humans making some mistakes.

@Lougle this is brilliant. Equally @Jackreacherstrousers PEACE confusion.

If I were you I would act quickly and send a follow up email not only thanking them for their time (always a must!) but also taking the opportunity to address how you would answer the question. It’s all about how you deal with the blunder, not the actual blunder. Use it as a way of showing that you’re human but can recognise and rectify a mistake quickly and effectively. It will probably end up working in your favour if you do it well.

An illustration of 'Events' being just as big a stakeholder in it all as how you how up and perform! I remember having a shortlist of 4 one day, and 3 pulled out or had accepted something else on the day.

That’s a silly reply for a legal sec! He’s either had easy and non stressful lawyers to work for in the past, might not have dealt with clients and certainly didn’t have as I did one estate agent scream at me about something as I either wasn’t doing it right or my boss hadn’t rung him back on time. Conveyancing is fairly straightforward for both buyers and sellers but certainly it’s not stressful or a challenging environment to work in.

I was asked what tools I would need to do the job (publishing assistant) and I replied, 'er... pens and pencils?' Luckily I realised what she was talking about a bit later and corrected it to communication and all that bullshit but I still remember that feeling of mentally sorting through possible tools you might need to be a publishing assistant (screwdriver? no) in a panic.

That happened to me too. But I did get the job!

'sorry, that was a really poor answer' lol.
I'd have just laughed and said, no shit? Then walked out. No wonder I'm unemployable.

I went to an interview in a lawyers office in chancery lane, I turned up with firetruck red spiky hair and bondage trousers. He said my maths test went well. The poor guy looked like might cry. Surprisingly didn't get the job.
I went to another interview with a massive dog turd stuck to my pink buffalo trainer. I actually did get that one. But it was for naked artist modelling?!
Please do not worry! 🤣

I was always useless at the tests. Was told at one job 'I was a good failure ' on the maths
Let us know if you get it op
Hope it's not too bad

I've interviewed so many people the last few months as I'm recruiting a whole new team and I can tell you that very few applicants manage a perfect interview.

It's normal for people to forget what they're answering or go off on a tangent and in my organisation it's in our policy to help redirect or prompt people who needed a bit of support. Nerves do funny things to people at the end of the day, and interviewers know that.

If it was just one question out of several other excellent answers, I expect you're in a decent position and as much in the running as anyone else.

Funniest thing I've read in ages.